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2017 Mexican Grand Prix
| poletime = 1:16.488 | fastestlap = 1:18.785 | fastestlapdriver = Sebastian Vettel | fastestlapnation = GER | fastestlapteam = | fastestlapnumber = 68 | winner = Max Verstappen | winnernation = NED | winnerteam = | second = Valtteri Bottas | secondnation = FIN | secondteam = | third = Kimi Räikkönen | thirdnation = FIN | thirdteam = }} The 2017 Mexican Grand Prix (officially the Formula 1 Gran Premio de México 2017) was the eighteenth race of the 2017 Formula One season, and the seventeenth time the Mexican Grand Prix was held on the Formula One calendar. It was held between 27 October and 29 October 2017. In qualifying, Sebastian Vettel set his 50th pole position, snatching pole from Max Verstappen at the last minute. Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton qualified second and third respectively. In the race, Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen fought for the lead at the first three corners, with Verstappen taking it after Vettel and Hamilton had to pit after making contact. Verstappen led every lap to take his third victory, ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen. Vettel and Hamilton finished fourth and ninth respectively, resulting in Hamilton becoming the 2017 World Champion. __TOC__ Background At the , Lewis Hamilton won the race ahead of Sebastian Vettel. The win put Hamilton on 331 points, sixty-six points ahead of Vettel. Valtteri Bottas, having only finished fifth, had his gap to Vettel extended to twenty-one points. With an engine failure midway through the race, Daniel Ricciardo remained on 192 points, while Kimi Räikkönen went up to 163 points. Hamilton's victory in America secured their fourth constructors' title, on 575 points compared to 's 428 points. With only Max Verstappen finishing fourth place after being rewarded a time penalty for passing Räikkönen off the track in Austin, were then on 315 points. Another double-points finish for put them on 159 points in the Constructors' Championship, whilst scored another two points to make 68 points. With Hamilton and Vettel finishing the United States Grand Prix in first and second place respectively, Hamilton looked to secure his fourth drivers' title in Mexico. For him to win the championship, he had to finish in the top five, or Vettel had to finish outside the top two. Having missed out the United States Grand Prix to compete in the last Super Formula race, which was later cancelled due to bad weather, Pierre Gasly returned to , while Brendon Hartley remained with the team, excluding Daniil Kvyat and later releasing him. However, Hartley raced with the car number #28 rather than #39. Franz Tost later admitted that Gasly and Hartley could be Toro Rosso's drivers for , describing them as "highly skilled drivers". In response to the controversy of Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Verstappen going wide at the first corner in the 2016 race, orange kerbs have been added at turns two, three, eight and eleven, with speed bumps and extra asphalt at turns two and three. Throughout the week, the main focus of the United States Grand Prix was on Verstappen, as the stewards gave him a time penalty for passing Räikkönen while he was off the track, but the decision was criticised by Verstappen and many fans. Verstappen stated: "I think at one point he realised that I was trying to overtake him, so he tried to close the door, so you have avoid it. Then, of course, the Austin track gives a lot of possibility to run on the inside, like you could see the whole weekend. So, yeah, first was to try to avoid an accident and then to try and overtake him." However, FIA director Charlie Whiting dismissed the quote, saying: "The point here really is that the stewards felt he gained an advantage. He shortened the track and clearly he was off track and he passed another driver at the same time. So, for them the decision was quite simple technically, but emotionally it was not so easy because the decision had to be made quite quickly." Entry list Practice Overview FP1 FP2 FP3 Practice Results Qualifying Q1 Q2 Q3 Qualifying Results ** Ricciardo was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his sixth internal combustion engine, sixth turbo and seventh MGU-H. *† Hartley was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his sixth internal combustion engine, sixth turbo and seventh MGU-H. *‡ Alonso was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his eleventh TC, eleventh MGU-H and ninth ICE. *§ Vandoorne was given a 35-place grid penalty for using his twelfth TC, twelfth MGU-H, tenth ICE, ninth MGU-K, seventh ES and seventh CE. *** Gasly was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his fifth CE, seventh MGU-H and sixth turbocharger. He also failed to set a time within the 107% rule, but was given permission from the stewards to participate. Grid Source ** Ricciardo was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his sixth internal combustion engine, sixth turbo and seventh MGU-H. *† Hartley was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his sixth internal combustion engine, sixth turbo and seventh MGU-H. *‡ Alonso was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his eleventh TC, eleventh MGU-H and ninth ICE. *§ Vandoorne was given a 35-place grid penalty for using his twelfth TC, twelfth MGU-H, tenth ICE, ninth MGU-K, seventh ES and seventh CE. *** Gasly was given a twenty-place grid penalty for using his fifth CE, seventh MGU-H and sixth turbocharger. He also failed to set a time within the 107% rule, but was given permission from the stewards to participate. Race Report Results Milestones *Sebastian Vettel's 50th pole position. *Lewis Hamilton secured his fourth World Driver's Championship, equaling Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost. Standings after race Notes Category:Grand Prix articles Category:2017 Grands Prix Category:Mexican Grand Prix